Like I said…words girl…and yet another word I’ve learned to love (in my old age of 28): Authenticity/Authentic.

To start off with, let’s break down the definition of the word: authentic. Good old Webster defines authentic as: of undisputed orgin or authorship, genuine, accurate in representation of facts, trustworthy and reliable.

There’s a few reasons why I love this word. First, it’s the type of person that I strive to be. I try to be authentic and genuine with everyone I meet and interact with, whether I like them or not. Second, it’s the type of people who I surround myself with. I can say that my true friends are some of the most authentic people who I know. They care with a deep conviction and are genuine in the words they speak. And I hope to one day be in a relationship with someone who has that character quality.

The reason why this came up: inauthentic people who are in my “circle”, if you will. People that are not genuine, that don’t care and are not themselves. People who are branding themselves as someone else, in order to gain attention (or worse: just a job). I gotta say: this rubs me the wrong way. Pretending to be someone who you are truly not – inauthentic. Following someone else’s path – inauthentic. And honestly, once I notice these qualities in a person, I stop trusting them. I start doubting their actions or questioning their motives. And almost immediately, I move them from the “friend” circle to the “acquaintance” circle (which by the way: look me up on google +).